North Korea, officially known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is a highly centralised state with significant topographical challenges for technology and telecommunications, including mountainous terrain covering around 80% of its land area. Its population, estimated at 26 million, is largely concentrated in urban centres, notably Pyongyang and Hamhung, with less densely populated regions in the northern and eastern provinces. Despite these challenges, North Korea maintains a nationwide intranet system, the Kwangmyong, though access to the global internet is highly restricted. The country has shown interest in renewable energy with several hydroelectric and thermal power stations, but the sector remains in an embryonic stage due to economic constraints and sanctions. Infrastructure innovation is hindered by the nation's isolation, although the country has made strides in domestic technology production. However, these sectors are fundamentally still developing and operate under a unique set of conditions.
Mobile Network Operators
The are 2 companies operating mobile networks in this region.
Byol (별) (translated as Star) is the second largest mobile carrier operating in North Korea (Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea). The wholly government-owned company began offering mobile services in July 2015 and is said to be previously operating as a local ISP. Due to the complete restriction on internet and phone services very little is known about the operation of the network.
